1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a door control device for use in a motor vehicle, and more particularly to a door control device which, upon requirement, can automatically open the door to a slight open position and thereafter allow the same to be opened further by manual labor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hitherto, for facilitation of door manipulation, various automatic door control devices have been proposed and put into practical use particularly in the field of motor vehicles. One of them is disclosed in Japanese Patent First Provisional Publication No. 58-178779, wherein by manipulating an outdoor or indoor switch, cancellation of the door lock and the opening and closing of the door are automatically carried out by drive means such as electric motor or the like. The other device is disclosed in Japanese Patent First Provisional Publication No. 62-101782, wherein by manipulating an outdoor or indoor switch, cancellation of the door lock is achieved by an electric motor.
However, due to the inherent constructions, the devices as mentioned hereinabove have the following drawbacks.
That is, in the device of '779 publication, entire construction thereof is bulky and heavy. Furthermore, due to employment of the mechanism for carrying out both the automatic movement of the door and the manual movement of the same the device becomes complicated in construction.
In the device of '782 publication, when, with the motor vehicle standing on an inclined ground, the lock cancellation is effected carelessly, the door thus unlocked is suddenly opened to its full-open position by its own weight. This tends to cause breakage of the door and in a severe case wound on a person standing by the vehicle. This dangerous sudden opening of the door is also caused by a considerable wind blowing against the door unlocked. The sudden door opening by the wind may occur also in the device of '779 publication because the movement of the door includes a range within which the door is swung by manual labor.